MS Awareness – Life Changes

How has Multiple Sclerosis Changed your Life?

Marisol Hernandez-Micken- MS has changed me because I’m scared of driving. I don’t have a job, and yes I have two kids at home but I don’t have a job cause I’m scared of failing!

Janine Bunworth- It has made me more aware of the people I have around me and has taught me to appreciate the little things.

Amber Pratt Birkenholz –Made me more positive.

Barbara Christopher – I used to think about nothing being hard, now I think is anything easy?

Traci Williams – I no longer work. I don’t drive. I’m sick everyday. I’m depressed all the time. I can’t do things like I used to. Life has really changed!!

Jeff Janet Deason – I had to quit school and my job. No working till I retired. No medical insurance & no income for a while. But learned to be my own advocate got disability, got married and live my retired like just 18 years earlier. I can now be there to help my elderly mom and enjoy my children and grand children. MS still sucks but I have learned to adapt.

Cathie Helgens – EVERYTHING has changed….EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Maren Ellen Weisse – Made me very bitter for having to quit work at the age of 26. It also has caused me to attempt suicide several times and recently it cost me several close friends. Been almost 13 yrs since my dx and I hate it as much now as I did in the beginning!!!!

Nicolle Folger – “MS has changed my life in a major way. I can no longer drive, I need yo take a shot every Mon, Wed and Friday. Difficulty walking, need to use a cane and sometimes a walker get tired easily make np since talking ay times brain fog. Numbness in my hands and feet, spasms at times in my back and legs. Shall I continue? I am thankful for the day god provide me a chance to see and appreciate all that he provides and the warmth of my friends and family!”

Robert Radmore – h, and I agree with Nicolle, not sure about Amber though.. unless Positive means made me more angry, more willing to fight it and not surrender then I’d agree. I’m positive, I have to be, single Father of three Girls and so I spend every day in a war against MS but .. I won’t give up, so sure, Positive is a word I may use..

Ange L Bulpin – My hubby has MS and both of our lives have changed 100%.. I’d give my own life to find a cure for MS

Teri Delfino – How hasn’t it….? Its a part of everything I do my whole life changed because of it …

Tonisha Busbee-Sloan – MS changed my ability to walk on my own 🙁 It changed a lot of things :’-(

Paula Gordon – How hasn’t it?!?

Danielle Freaker – Made me realize how strong I can be. Made me look at the big picture of life. I refuse to be negative. My exasperations mimic strokes I’ve learned how to walk again, again and again. And will continue. Negatively is anyone’s worst nightmare. Stay strong.

Kimberly Jones – I used to enjoy using words, learning new ones, reading the dictionary. Now,

Anthony Arciprete – I don’t work…I’m bored…I’m in pain too often.

Judi Dobson – Yes, I don’t take things for granted, one day at a time. I love the country life for the peace and quiet. Going to grow as much as I can this year and put it up so I know what goes into me. So yes MS as changed me for the better and bad days.

James Thron – M.S. Changed my outlook on everything, I no longer associate with anyone that has a negative attitude or lives a negative life. M.S.made me take a risk and follow a life long dream. It made me appreciate you guys that have worse issues than mine. It’s the best/worse thing that has ever happened to me.

Christie Wright Cantrell – I have no sleep pattern of any kind. Sometimes I sleep at night like a normal person, but more often crash during the day and am wide awake in the dark.

Tommy T-Square Trosper – Went from an active young man to a mostly bed-ridden 29yr old.

Cathy Slaton- I hate MS….I am not the same person

Cheryl Walker – I do not think anyone with ms, or any other major illness, can say that their illness hasn’t affected them in many ways. Not only do we deal with the physical effects, pain, numbness, sleeplessness, fatigue, and mental functioning just to name a few; but there is also the mental, emotional, psychological and social aspects as well.

We each have our own paths we walk on but we do have each other who share this common entity. I had just started university when I was dx at 26. I fumbled my way thru my degree in psychology, which took an extra 2 yrs, but I finished it. I focused much of my degree on the psychology of both mental illness and disability. It was something that has given me insight and personal power. 8 yrs later and I can no longer work a regular job, I’m on disability and in constant pain. I try to look at things in a positive light and although that’s not always possible, it has allowed me to maintain some semblance of control as only I can control how I think.

I do my best each day n if its a day where I can’t do everything that’s on my list oh well, I’ll start again tomorrow.The key with illnesses like ours really is family/social support. Please don’t ever give up cause we are getting closer each day to finding a cure!

Laurie Hanan – I completely lost the life I had and the person I understood myself to be. It’s been a long, painful process of reinventing myself, my identity, my perceptions of “self”.

Terry Hartling – IT AFFECTED ME so I can’t work in the hosp anymore… I don’t enjoy the summer like I used to ( playing softball & golfing) like you Cheryl the numbness restless night’s and all else that goes with this lovely disability we have called MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

Harmonee Ellis – Forced me to set boundaries with people and to realize that not everyone deserves or can be in my life — made me realize and appreciate how much love and support I do have and that is my focus — I’m a lot stronger then I could ever imagine — I can’t do or last as long doing things I used to enjoy — activities outside are limited for sure … It can be very very depressing and sad — and no one can understand unless they live with these symptoms –one day and sometimes hour at a time

Tracy Bateman – I used to feel like a superhero, sometimes even before my last exacerbation, but that last one was a bitch! I love life, I love my husband, who has been by my side for 22 years. He has seen the changes; from superhero to super-slow. He was with me before the MS, so he knows what I was like then, and over the years he has stayed with me; he’s a saint!

Jitana Benton-Lee 17 year survivor. I am blessed and optimistic. MS has made me more determined!

.. I think the bottom line from all these comments is:We’re all Fighters and we’re all in this together and most importantly you/I/we are not

…Alone.

Scott Barnes – My wife has MS. We deal with all the bad……and there is a lot of bad………but the biggest change is that we don’t waist time and do our best to enjoy every second of time. You tend to look at the silly things that bothered you before and realize just how unimportant they really were.

Rhonda Creen Poston – I’m new to MS I don’t know how you all do this.. the nerve pain in my legs and feet is awful i cant get rid of it. Neuritis in my eye. bladder and bowel issues. balance —- is definitely a problem now. I keep losing my balance and hitting my head.. So How has this changed my life.. hummmmmmm… It has made me become a comedian… I keep telling people that I’m going to get a helmet. I am losing my muscle so fast.. its crazy!… I guess i never understood what a flare was and how awful it could be..

Bonnie Stangland – I guess a better question is “how HASN’T it changed your life?” Basically, I am the same person, I still like to do the same things. I just can’t do them anymore. It is a constant battle to adjust to my “new normal”.